February 2012

The history of electronic music extends across most of the 20th century, and continues to evolve in the 21st. And it's not just technology — electronic instruments and the electronic studio have rejuvenated old styles of music and helped create many new ones.

The common thread in the story is sound. Never before have musicians had so much control over this crucial aspect of music. From the early experimenters and the electronic simulations of classical music, through the renaissance of so-called "tone-color" music in the 1970s, the infinite variations of electronic dance music (starting with disco), to the personal music of thousands of individual artists and composers — electronic sound provides an endless palette for creative expression.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, we borrow our title from a hot web service for electronic musicians called soundcloud.com. it's a journey in the ever-evolving world of electronic music called SOUNDCLOUD. Music is by ESA KOTILIANEN, ERIK WØLLO, BERNARD WÖSTHEINRICH, PATRICK O'HEARN, IGNEOUS FLAME, SLEEPING ME, OÖPHOI, and STEVE ROACH.

The worlds of fantasy and imagination have a cherished history in popular fiction, with legions of dedicated fans around the world. Inspired by mythology and folklore extending back to the earliest human cultures, fantasy fiction emerged as a genre in the mid-19th century and came to prominence in the 20th with medievalist classics like Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings," C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia," and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

While born in literature and later extended to popular films and computer games, musicians have also been exploring this rich field of imagery to create ambitious concept albums. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, imaginary worlds, spectral and ethereal sounds, and fantastic themes — on a program called SUPERNATURAL. Music is by PRISCILLA HERNANDEZ, PSICODREAMICS, KLAUS SCHULZE, STEVE BRAND, BUILDING THE CATHEDRAL, BETWEEN INTERVAL, THIERRY DAVID and PAUL AVGERINOS.

It seems the farther north you go, the warmer the music. It's a generalization to be sure, but whether the genre is North Country folk music, classical, jazz, electronics, or some creative hybrid — northern musicians have a history of chasing away the chill with melodies and harmonies that please the ear, warm the heart, and nourish the soul. More often than not those harmonies are consonant, derived from the great European romantic tradition, and extended with love and care.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...a midwinter collection of instrumentals that bring us that sought-after feeling of warmth and space...on a program called WINTER HARMONIES. Music is by BILL DOUGLAS, SECRET GARDEN, WILLIAM ZEITLER, JEFF PEARCE, KETIL BJORNSTAD & DAVID DARLING, FRANCOIS COUTURIER, THE TYTINGVAG ENSEMBLE, and introducing M.K.SOL.

Under the gray skies and chilled atmospheres of winter, we attune to a slower pulse. Activities curtailed for the moment, there's time to dream a bit, and for that we revisit our old standby, the grand piano.

Though large and massive in the physical world, in the world of music, the piano can fly and float...on weightless waves of sound. And when combined with ambient electronics, we have a potent vehicle for travel to deep and distant dimensions.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a piano/chamber/electronic journey called FLOATING REVERIES. Music is by LUDOVICO EINAUDI, ELENI KARAINDROU, BRUNO SANFILLIPO, ASHLEY/ROEDELIUS/STORY, and MICHAEL JONES.